Vise



C. B. CROSS Nov. 30, 1943.

VISE

Filed'July 9, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l IIVNVENTOR.

. AZTURNEYS.

Nov. 30, 1943, c, c oss 2,335,743

VISE

Filed July 9, 1945 Z SheetS-Sheet 2 I I I I I I INVENTOR.

A TTOR/VEKS.

Patented Nov. 30, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VISE ()edric B. Cross, Poultney, Vt., assignor to Production Devices Incorporated, Poultney, Vt., a corporation of Connecticut Application July 9, 1943, Serial No. 493,966

10 Claims. (Cl. 81-26) This invention relates to vises and more especially to fluid-pressure-operated Vises. One of the objects of this invention is to provide a fluid-pressure-operated vise having a movable jaw to which is given rapid low-force movement in the initial portion of its stroke toward the other or stationary jaw and slow, powerfulforce movement in the latter part of its stroke toward said stationary jaw whereby speedy operation and maximum clamping efiiciency are obtainable.

A further object of this invention is to provide a construction involving a novel, simple system for effecting such action of the movable jaw without requiring variation of the air or fluid pressure in the pressure cylinder utilized for operat- I ing the movable jaw.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for transmitting the force of the pressure in the pressure cylinder to the movable jaw under such conditions that the clamping force at the movable jaw is always larger than the force applied by the pressure cylinder.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device having a minimum number of working parts which may be simply and economically assembled with resultant economies both in the speed and cost of production.

In a device embodying the present invention, the movable jaw is connected to a head to which are pivoted a pair of levers. Two posts are arranged at a slightly greater distance from each other than the distance between the lever pivots. The resulting arrangement of the levers and posts is such that movement apart of the free ends of the levers engages said levers with said posts as fulcrums to effect movement of said head in a direction to bring the movable jaw toward the stationary jaw. Such movement of the levers is effected by a wedge connected to and movable with the piston of a fluid-pressure cylinder. The shape of the wedge is such that during the initial portion of the stroke of the movable jaw toward the stationary j aw, the movable jaw is given rapid low-force movement but during the latter part of its stroke toward the stationary jaw it is given slow, powerful-force movement. Resilient means are provided for returning the movable jaw Wedge and levers to their original positions upon release of the fluid pressure.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view partially broken away of a vise embodying the invention and with the jaws in open position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the jaws in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is an end elevation looking from the right of Fig. 1.

A base 10 supports a stationary jaw I I and a movable jaw l 2. In the base is provided a keyway I3 in which is sildably mounted a carriage l4 having a projection IE to which the jaw I2 is fastened by bolts It. The fixed jaw II is secured to an abutment l! by bolts [8 and the abutment I 1 in turn is attached to the base by bolts 19, the abutment having a transverse rib 20 which fits into a correspondingly shaped transverse groove in the frame I0.

A hollow screw 2! is threaded through the lower part of the carriage l4 and is provided with a cylindrical head 22 which is arranged in a correspondingly shaped socket in a cross-bar 23. The arrangement is such that the screw 2! is rotatably connected to the cross-bar 23 and moves in unison therewith axially of the screw. The cross-bar 23 is equipped with two pins or studs 24 on each of which is pivoted a lever 25 at the free end of which are mounted a pair of identical rollers 26 above and below the lever. Each lever is provided with a plane surface shoulder 21 angularly related to the line joining the axes of the roller 26 and the stud 24.

Each surface 21 engages a sleeve 28 supported by a pin 29 mounted in the frame I0 and projecting into the abutment member ll. Each sleeve 28 constitutes a fixed fulcrum for a lever 25 whereby with the levers in the position shown in Fig. 1 movement thereof to the position shown in Fig. 2 causes movement of the cross-bar 2 3 to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2.

A pressure cylinder 3% of standard type and preferably, though not necessarily, an air pressure cylinder is mounted on the frame l0 near the left end thereof and is provided with the usual piston 3| which is movable to the right under pressure of air or other fluid delivered to the cylinder through the inlet 32. A pin 33 projects from the end of the piston 3| and carries a Wedge 34 having two sets of surfaces 35 and 36 engageable with the rollers 26 upon rightward movement of the piston 3|. The angularity of the surfaces 35 with respect to the direction of travel of the wedge is steeper than the angularity of the surfaces 36.

In the screw 2| is arranged a coil spring 31, the right end of which engages an abutment in the screw 2|. The left end of the spring 3'! engages the right end of a rod 38 projecting-into the screw 2| with the left end of said rod being provided with a pin 39 seated in a recess in the nose of the wedge 3d. The right end of the screw 2| is provided with a polygonal recess 40 to receive an adjusting key.

By means of an adjusting key inserted in the socket 43, the position of the movable jaw I2 relative to the stationary jaw l I, is adjustable by rotation of the screw 2!. Such rotation of the screw 2| feeds the carriage I5 to the left or to the right, depending upon the direction of rotation of the screw.

After adjustment of the movable jaw [2, the vise is ready for operation and the work to be clamped is placed on the frame between the two jaws and fluid is admitted to the cylinder through the inlet 32 from any suitable source (not shown). The introduction of fluid into the cylinder 3% causes the piston 3| to move to the right from the position shown in Fig. 1 thereby causing the levers 25 to swing apart by reason of the rollers 25, riding along first the surfaces 35 and then the surfaces 36 of the wedge 34. Such rotation of the levers 25 causes leftward movement of the cross-bar 23 by reason of the engagement of the shoulders 21 with the fulcrums 23, thereby bringing the cross-bar 23 to the position shown in Fig. 2. The leftward movement of the cross-bar 23 is communicated through the head 22, screw 2| and carriage 15 to the movable jaw l2 to bring it into clamping relation to the work-piece between it and the stationary jaw Also, leftward movement of the screw 2| in combination with rightward movement of pin 38 compresses the spring 3?. Upon release of the fluid from the cylinder 36, the spring 31 is effective to return the wedge 34, levers 25, crossbar 23, screw 2| and movable jaw l2 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1.

During the initial portion of the rightward movement of the wedge 34, the levers 25 are swung outwardly at comparatively high speed,

thus bringing the jaw l2 to the left with rapid relatively low-fcrce movement. This action is due to the relatively steep angularity of the surfaces 35. However, when the rollers 26 engage the surfaces 36, the movement of the jaw |2' becomes less rapid but of more powerful force due to the fact that the surfaces 36 are less steep.

A cover 4! is supported by the base l0 and encloses the pressure cylinder as well as the wedge 34, levers 25 and cross-bar 23.

It is of course understood that various modifications may be made in the structure above described without in any way departing from" the spirit of the invention as defined in the ap' pended claims.

I claim:

1. A vise comprising a pair of jaws-of which one is movable relative to the other, a movable head connected to said movable jaw, one or more levers pivoted to said head, a stationary fulcrum for each lever engageable by said lever upon rotation thereof to effect movement of said movable jaw toward the remaining jaw, a wedge movable into engagement with each lever to effect rotation thereof and means including a fluid-pressure device for effecting to and fro movement of said wedge.

2. A vise according to claim 1 characterized by the wedge having successive surfaces of a different angularity to the path of the wedge.

3. A vise according to claim 1 characterized by means biasing apart said wedge and head,

4. A vise according to claim 1 characterized by the wedge having successive surfaces of different angularity to the path of the wedge and means biasing apart said wedge and head.

5. A vise comprising a pair of jaws of which one is movable relative to the other, a movable head, a threaded rod rotatably connected to said head and having threaded connection with said movable jaw, one or more levers pivoted to said head, a stationary fulcrum for each lever engageable by said lever upon rotation thereof to effect movement of said movable jaw toward the remaining jaw, a wedge movable into engagement with each lever to effect rotation thereof, and means including a fluid-pressure device for effecting to and fro movement of said wedge.

6. A vise according to claim 5 characterized by the wedge having successive surfaces of different angularity to the path of the wedge.

'7. A vise comprising a pair of jaws of which one is movable relative to the other, a movable head, a threaded rod rotatably connected to said head and having threaded connection with said movable jaw, one or more levers pivoted to said head, a stationary fulcrumv for each lever engageable by said lever upon rotation thereof to effect movement of said movable jaw toward the remaining jaw, a wedge movable into engagement with said lovers to effect rotation thereof, and means including a fluid-pressure device for effecting to and fro movement of said wedge.

8. A vise according to claim 7 characterized by the wedge having successive surfaces of different angularity to the path of the wedge.

9. A vise comprising a pair of jaws of which one is movable relative to the other, a movable head, a hollow rod rotatably connected to said head and having threaded connection with said movable jaw, one or more levers pivoted to said head, a stationary fulcrum for each lever engageable by said lever upon rotation thereof to effect movement of said movable jaw toward the re maining jaw, a wedge movable into engagement with each lever to effect rotation thereof, resilient means arranged in said hollow rod and en gaging said wedge for biasing apart said wedge and rod, and means including a fluid-pressure device for effecting to and fro movement of said wedge.

10. A vise according to claim 9 characterized by the wedge having successive surfaces of different angularity to the path of the wedge.

CEDRIC B. CROSS. 

